Dad?
by creatureofcomfort
Summary: Just a little drabble between a son who thought he wasn't loved and a father who is long gone. I do not own ATLA or LoK.


Just a little drabble between a son who thought he wasn't loved and a father who is long gone.

I do not own ATLA or LoK.

After proving to his brother, Tenzin, that he could now airbend, Bumi went off by himself to find some peaceful time to himself. He found himself walking toward the Meditation pavilion, a place where he had vied for his father's attention many times as he and his siblings were growing up.

Despite being the most rambunctious son of Aang and Katara, he still found himself missing his father and enjoyed this kind of quiet time once in a blue spirit moon. His sister, Kya, asked him why he missed a father who clearly showed favoritism to the one child who was able to airbend, Tenzin. Bumi couldn't explain it to her or even himself, either, other than "family is family".

Now, he found himself here again, under the blue and golden swirls Aang and the Air Acolytes had painstakingly painted years ago. For a few seconds, he stood and reminisced coming to this area to find his father meditating day after day when times were a lot simpler. He broke his reverie and assumed the same position he saw Aang in so often.

It took Bumi several times of emptying his mind (and changing his uncomfortable position) before he felt the weight of the world slowly ebb away. Suddenly, Bumi felt another presence. He quickly opened his eyes to ask whoever it was to go away for a little while, but was stopped just as his mouth was opening. Bumi's jaw dropped and stood agape for several seconds before he was able to cough out, "Dad…"

Aang stepped toward his pointy-haired son. "Bumi…"

Bumi stood up and gave his father a teary-eyed-smile. "I can finally make you proud, Dad. Look at this." Bumi took several deep breaths and let the air move through his body before finally coming out of his hands. He looked to his father to see the disappointed look he always received as a child, but was surprised to see the same watery-smile that he had.

"Son… I never told you, but I was already extremely proud of you. I always have been proud of you. You didn't have to learn airbending for me to be proud of you, Bumi." Bumi quickly sat down. It looked like he was getting a bit dizzy. "As soon as I heard your first cry when you were born, I was proud of you. You survived having the avatar as a father, after all." Aang laughed to try to lighten the mood.

Bumi looked down at his hands. "I did everything to try to win your attention, whether if it was acting wild in school or going with too many girls after graduating. I joined the United Forces so I would make you proud and try my best to keep the world safe." Bumi looked back at Aang as a single tear escaped from his pale blue eyes. The smile had left his father's eyes. "I tried so hard."

Aang put a hand on his son's back. "I know you did. I'm sorry. I did not love you and Kya enough. There is no excuse for that, even if your mother tried to offer some to you." The Avatar moved his gaze toward the airbending training grounds. "I focused on Tenzin too much because he had to carry the Air Nomad nation on his shoulders, along with needing to master the element. He had to be the one to teach the next Avatar how to airbend. If he never mastered it, it would be impossible for the skill to be passed onto the next generation. As the last airbender from before the Hundred Years War, I also did not want the air nomad culture to die with me." He looked back at his son. "Now, I see that I had plenty of time to do that and should have focused on you and Kya more. 'I'm sorry' will never be enough for the pain I caused you two."

Bumi laughed and looked away from his father again. "What I wouldn't give to have had this conversation before you passed away. You went so soon, you 'old fart'." This last part sounded much more serious than Bumi intended. He had the tendency of trying to hide his pain with funny remarks.

Aang smiled at his son. "I know. My body was worn out. But even then, I wouldn't change what happened for the world. If I had not been in that iceberg, I wouldn't have met your mother and you three kids wouldn't be here, now, changing the world for the better. All three of you have made me so proud. You are all three great leaders and you all know how to lead this changing world, whether through healing it or teaching others how to live peacefully. I may have died young, but at least I died happy knowing the world was in good hands."

Bumi didn't say anything.

"Son… will you ever be able to forgive me?" Aang's eyes searched his son's own.

"Dad, there's nothing to forgive. I always knew it would happen like this after we discovered Tenzin had airbending abilities. Kya realized this too, even if she always wanted to be your 'baby girl'. We knew Tenzin would be spending the majority of his time with you. That didn't keep it from hurting, but there was nothing you could do about that." Bumi looked away from Aang's intense gaze.

Aang looked down at the meditation beads around his neck. "I know I can't make up for the time we lost together, but I hope we can have a better relationship now that you are able to create a connection with me." He took the beads off and placed them around Bumi's neck. "These will help you with that connection." Aang smiled at Bumi before giving a small laugh. "Please tell Korra that I miss talking to her, too. And give Tenzin a run for his money. You're never too old to create airbending tricks to mess with your brother." Aang reached for Bumi and hugged him.

Bumi relished the rare hug from his father, even in this spirit-form, and his eyes swam with tears as Aang slowly vanished from sight. "Thank you, Dad. I'll see you again someday."


End file.
